A Sermon on the Freedom and Happiness of the United States of America, Preached in Carlisle, on the 5th Oct. 1794

V, {> 27

' v r ' 'jH t^ /> >~t. <Lo- >„o-^c,

S E R M

ON THE

FREEDOM AND HAPPINESS

OF THE

United States of America,

O N,

PREACHED IN CARLISLE, ON THE 5TH OCT. I 794,

AND PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST OF THE OFFICERS
$F THE PHILADELPHIA AND LANCASTER,
TROOPS OF LIGHT HORSE*

BY ROBERT DAVIDSON, D. D f

PASTOR OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CAR*
LISLE, AND ONE OF THE PROFESSORS I If
DICKINSON COLLEGE*

PHILADELPHIA;

PRINTED BY SAMUEL H. SMITH FOR ROGER’S!
CAMPBELL.

^.Dcc.xciy*

A SERMON, Sc.

f* And what one Nation in the Earth is like thy
People, even like Ifrael ?”

U. samuel, vii. 23,

TP O take a comparative view of the
nations of the earth, and learn in what
refpeds feme are happier than others ; and
to examine what are the fources of national
profperity, and the true foundations of the
ftrength and permanency of ftates ; mull
be profitable at any time, and efpecially
proper at the prefent crifis. It is with this
view the words now read have been chofen.
And let none fay, that we are carried
away by the fpirit of the times, to fubfUtute
mere political harrangues in the place of the
Gofpel of Chrift ; for, as I obferved, on a
former oecafion*, the affairs of flate, the
A 2 manage^

* In a Sermon preached on the preceding Lord’s da y,
from Proverbs, xiv. 34. — Righteoufnefs exalteth a
nation; but fin is a reproach to any people,

C 4 )

management of public concerns, and the du-
ties of citizens are not to be confidered as
topics foreign to the gofpel, but the con-
trary; becaufe the gofpel views man in
every condition in which man can be plac-
ed, — and efpecially as a member of fociety.
I {hall not, therefore, need to apologife for
the fentiments contained in the following
difcourfe ; fmce, in delivering them, efpe-
cially in prefent circumftances, I confider
rtiyfelf only doirig confcientioufly the du-
ties of my office.

But not to wafle your time unneceiTarily,
— let us come to the fubjeit now propofed
to be confidered.

David, the pious king of Ifrael, had been
conducted from the humble walks of a
paftoral life, to the exalted ftation of a
throne ; and as he had been conduced to
jt^ lb he Was firmly eftablifhed in it. Now
it came to pafs , as we read in the firft verfe
of this chapter, that when the king fat in
his houfe , and the Lord had given him reft
round about from all his enemies ; meditating
devoutly on all the great goodnefs of God
to himfelf and the nation ; he thought in
his heart, that he ought to make prepara-
tions for building a temple to the honour

of

t 5 )

t)f his God. And the Lord fent the pro-
phet, Nathan, to allure him, that he was
pleafed with his pious delign, and to eii*
courage him to perfevere. So we read,
(in the 8th Verfe). Nbw therefore fofhalt
thou fay unto my feYvmit David , "ThUs faith
the Lord of Hofts, I took thee from following
the Jheep , to be rkler ober tny people , IfraeL
And I was with thee whitherfoeve'r thou
went eft, aud have cut off dll thine enemies out
of thy fight , and have made thee a great
name , like unto the name of the grea t men that
are in the earth . He was ordered alfo to
allure him of God’s future gobdnefs to his
family, from which was to iarife, in the ful-
nefs of time, that great Deliverer whofe
throne was to be eftablifhed for ever* Af-
ter thefe affurances, which filled the heart
of this great man with a fublime joy, he went
in , it is faid, and fat before the Lord s and
there poured out the gratitude of his foul,
in the language here recorded. He ad-
mires the goodnefs of God, in railing him
to a ftation fo very eminent ; in faving him
from internal enemies, who had repeatedly
attempted to diltrad his government ; in
vanquifhing his external foes on every
hand ; in giving him peace, in which he

appears

( 6 )

appears to have greatly delighted, though
he had been an illuftrious warrior ; and
thus affording him an opportunity of at-
tending to the internal concerns of the
ftate and his people's happinefs. And
while he revolved in his mind the many
indubitable inftances of Divine Providence
towards the nation, and the happy circum-
fiances in which they were now placed ;
looking around him from his exalted fta?-
tion on the fmiling fcenes of profperity on
every hand, and the ineffable comforts to
be derived from a fiate of peace and fecu-
rity ; — having a heart capable of ardently
defiring and greatly delighting in the feli-
city of thofe committed to his care ; — he
utters, among many other expreffions, the
words of our prefent text , — And what one
nation in the earth is like thy people ?

I. We may here, in the firjl place, con-
fider a little the reafons on which this
expreffion is founded, or in what refpecls
the people here fpoken of, were favoured
above the other nations of the earth.

II. This will prepare the way for our
making fome obfervations, in the fecond
place, on the great goodnefs of God to our
own fiate and nation in particular ; our

high

( 7 )

high and many privileges, the gratitude due
from us to God for them ; and the wife
improvement which we ought to make of
them.

I. Let us, then, in the firft place, make
a few general obfervations on the hate of
the J ewifh people, previoufly to and at the
time when thefe words were fpoken ; which
will be a fuitable preparation for the re*
marks that are intended to follow.

The pofterity of Abraham have been a
people moll remarkably under the direction
of Divine Providence, ever lince their ori-
gin : and notwithstanding the many revo-
lutions which they have experienced^ a
remnant of them is Hill preferved diftind
from all other nations ; and no doubt for
fome important events yet to come, in
which they are to be deeply mterelied.
The founder of this nation was a man of a
moil excellent charader, eminent for his
faith and piety ; he was called out from
the midft of idolators, that of him might
be made a great nation; among whom the
knowledge of the true God was to be pre-
ferved, ’till the times of the Mefliah ; when
this knowledge and the news of falvation

IhouJd

C « J

fhould be diffufed over the face of die whole
earth.

The hiftory of the Jewifh nation, if
read with fuitable views, and efpecially in
order to gain an acquaintance with the ways
of Gad to men , would be one of the mod
inftru&jve that could merit our attention.

Indeed the ftudy of hidory in general,
if properly conducted, tends greatly to edi-
fication. In order to derive the greated
profit from it, we ought to mark the courfe
of the divine difpenfations,— in the happy
confequences of national virtues, and the
awful effects of national vices the rife
and progrefs of dates and kingdoms ; their
ftiort or long duration, according as folly or
wifdom fat at the helm of their public af-
fairs ; their enjoyment or lofs of liberty $
their ruling over, or becoming fubject to
neighbouring nations ; and the like
in thefe things, I fay, we fhould mark the
courfe of God’s Providence ; we fhopld fee
the operations of a divine hand; and then we
{hall read a well-written hiftory of any nation,
efpecially that of the Jews, with high fatis-
( action and advantage. But if we read t hole
.hidories only to gain an acquaintance with

a few

( 9 )

a few of the more remarkable events, de-
tached and feparate ; and if we endeavour
to perfuade ourfelves, that ail human affairs
are under the guidance of blind chance,
and tending to no conclufion for the dil-
play of the divine juftice and goodnefs ; — •
we (hall find our knowledge fruitlefs, and
-all our refearches vain.

The mind of man is fo formed by its
adorable and wife author, that it vvifhes to
underhand the final caufe of every thing
which it contemplates and admires. In
viewing the works of nature , fo many
ftriking proofs of defign and benevolence
prefent themfeves to the mind, as foon as
the reafoning powers begin to unfold
themfefves, that even children wilh to be
inftruAed in thefe things, to trace a chain
of caufes and effects, and to know why
certain things are fo and fo, and not other-
wife. We fee the moh beautiful harmony
fubfihing from age to age, among the hea-
venly bodies ; however various in fize and
fituation, and how complicated foever their
motions and revolutions. We look for,
and are pleafed to find, in every province
of nature in this lower world, evident
B marks

( 10 J

marks alfo of wifdom and goodnefs. A
power that is irrefiftible, under the direc-
tion of infinite wifdom, appears to be con-'
ftantly operating, on every hand. It feems
to be doing the utmoft violence to our
reafon, to endeavour to perfuade our-
felves, that there is no wife defign in the
conftitution of nature, and the arrange-
ment of its various parts.-

And is it not doing equal violence to
our rational nature, to fuppofe that the
events of this lower world are under no
wife direction, or, that there is no Pro-
vidence over the affair's ofvien? Even the
Romans of old, who built the moft afio-
nifhing fabric of empire that ever the
world beheld, evidently acknowledged, es-
pecially in their better days, that their
republic was under the divine direction*
and could ftand no longer than it was
the will of the Supreme Deity, to preferve
it by his guardian care. They feem grate-
fully to have afcrihed their victories to an
over-ruling power. The fentiments of
their moft celebrated orator, patriot, and
philofophdr, on this fubjedt, have always
been greatly admired.

As

( H )

As a Divine Providence, then, mufl be
acknowledged over the affairs ot men ; and
fomethirjg may be learned on this fubjed
even from the light of nature , and the ge-
neral voice of nations ; — how thankful
fhould we be for the light of revelation , by
which our views are fo greatly enlarged,
and our thoughts are carried back to the
creation and forward to the confummation
of all things !

But what we have more particularly in
view, at prefent, is the interefting hiflory
of the Jewifh nation. And we fay that
this is above all others full of inftrudion,
becaufe the defigns of Providence to-
wards them have been more fully unfold-
ed to us, than his defigns towards any
other people. Had we only the hiflory
of that nation, in the way in which his-
tories are commonly written,— a fplendid
enumeration of the mod fhining fads and
revolutions ; — and efpecially laboured de-
fcriptions of battles, and high encomiums
on the charaders and exploits of Mofes,
Jolhua, and other leaders ; — with little of
the doings of the Lord , and the interpo-
ftfions of his hand ;t— had we, I fay, this
B % hiflory,

( n )

hiftory, thus compofed in the common
way, and were we Only amufed with the
ingenious remarks of hiftorians, on ' the
operation of mere natural caufes ; we
Could not read it with fo much advantage
as we now can ; nor could we, in a fatis-
fadory manner, account for the many
changes through which that nation has
been made to pafs. This people were
called the people of the Lord , and he was
pleafed to ftile himfelf the God of Abra-
ham, Ifaac, and Jacob. But we mud not
fuppofe, that they had the fame ideas of
the government of the world, which many
other nations feem to have had, i. e. that
every nation or ftate had fome particular
Divinity prefiding over it, and attending
to its concerns alone. For the reprefen-
tations which are every where given of
God, in the Jewifh writings, lead us to
conceive of him as the Creator, Preferver,
and Lord of heaven and earth; as having
all nations under his diredlion ; and em-
ploying all the ftrining armies of heaven
as his miniflers, in the government of this
lower world. — Now, as this people had fo
much light and knowledge, refpecting

God

( 13 )

God and his providence, more than
others around them had ; this fhows the
force and propriety of the words of David,

when he faid, What one nation in the

earth is like thy people , even Ifrael?' It
mull: be confidered as an exalted pri-
vilege, indeed, to have the knowledge
of the true God, and of the manner in
which he is to be worfhipped. This his
chofen people had; while mankind in
general around them were bowing down
before flocks and ftones, and paying a
fuperftitious adoration to falfe and ima-
ginary objects of worfhip. The ideas
which they had of the Supreme Being, of
his Providence and government of the
world, are fully fet forth in thofe hymns
of praife, which were compofed prin-*
cipally by this pious King, and which all
men of tafte and piety have ever ad-
mired. They had alfo the moral law,
written by the finger of God himfelf,
which gives a full view of all thofe duties
which we owe to God and to one another.
For the fum of the commandments is,
T o love the Lord our God with all our hearts ,
and our neighbour as our [elves . They had

affurances

( H )

afturances not only of the juftice, but alfo
of the mercy of God through a Redeemer,
who is flow to anger, and fometimes fpares
hnners for many years, and who forgives
iniquity, tranfgreftion, and fin, to all thofe
who truly repent. They had the cleareft
proofs of his mercy ; for he had often
turned away his anger from them, and
exacted of them lefs than their iniquities
deferved . He gave them the mod en-
couraging promifes of his protection, as
well as the cleareft views of the miferies
that would come upon them, as a nation,
if they departed from him, and became
immoral and profane. He placed them
in the land which he had promifed to
their fathers, — a land, which, to ufe the
fcripture-phrafe expreflive of the greateft
plenty, flowed with milk and honey . Out
of this land fie expelled thofe nations,
which by their enormous wickednefs had
become ripe for ruin, that he might plant
his people in their ftead.

To fum up all in a few words, — the
Jfewifh nation were, at the time here al-
luded to, in an independent and flourifh-
ing condition ; having the light of the

knowledge

C 15 )

knowledge of the true God Alining upcri f
them ; having alfo excellent laws for the
rule of their conducl ; and being in a ftate
of peace, — having no enemies within the
ftate that were difaffe&ed to its beft inte-
refts, nor any without, to be feared ; while
a pious and prudent man, of extraordinary
abilities, and whofe life Providence had
watched over and preferred through many
a fcene of trial and danger, was placed at
the head of the nation, and reigned in the
hearts of his people.

When thefe feveral things are taken
into conftderation, which time w T ill only
allow us at prefent briefly to mention, we
fee how much fuperior, in point of pri-
vileges, the Jewifh nation was, fro all the
other nations around them.

II. Let us now, in the feco?id place, coll-
fider the great goodriefs of the Divine Be-
ing to our ftate and nation in particular ; —
our high privileges ; the gratitude which
we owe to God for them ; and the wile-
improvement which we ought to make of
them.

We might draw r a parallel between our
condition and that of the nation fpoken of

in

C »« )

in the text* in a variety of particulars. A
perfect refemblance, indeed, of the cir-
.cumftances of any two nations is not to be
expe&ed ; and yet it may be fufficiently
ftriking to merit attention.

The celebrated navigator who firft dif-
covered this continent was doubtlefs under
the guidance of heaven; and the difco-
very was preparatory to the wonderful
events that were to follow. I his part of
the New World prefented itfelf as a place
of refuge for thofe who wilhed to enjoy
religious and civil freedom, unmolefted,
and to the greateft extent. They hoped
that here they could worfhip God accord-
ing to their confciences, and would be at
a fecure didance from all the infults of
tyranny- The infant fettlements, which
Providence deligned as the nuxferies of a
vaft republic, in due time to arife, gra-
dually extended themfelves along the
fhores of the ocean, and into the interior
parts of the continent. Their growth
was rapid and adonifhing ; they were in
general a fober, induftrious, and pious
people ; and the governor of nations prof-
pered them. The fame of the privileges

( »7 )

here to be enjoyed, and of the falubrity of
the air, and fertility of the foil, drew hither
great numbers from different nations of the

OLD WORLD.

But, alas ! how fubjed to change are all
human affairs ; and by what a precarious
tenure are thefe poffeffions held and en-
joyed! Attempts were made to deprive us
of the privileges which we fo highly
prized ; and a diflant power, which we
were wont to call the Parent nation, in-
fifled on the right of making laws to bind us
in all cafes whatfoever. We could not
conceive in what other language, the molt
alfolute tyranny could have clothed its man-
dates and its menaces. We refolved to re-
fufe a fubmiffion to the molt unequal and
iniquitous laws ; for we would not acknow-
ledge the power, that was affumed, to be
a lawful one ; but, on the contrary, a
' violation of our chartered rights. Hence
arofe an obftinate and bloody contefi.

To take a view of this in its rife, progrefs,
and termination, would be a work of much
time ; fuffice it to obferve, that being con-
fident of the juftice of our caufe, we com-
C mitted

( >8 )

mi tied ourfelves into his hand, who dif-
pofeth of ftates and kingdoms at his plea-
fure ; we prayed to him, and made a di-
ligent ufe of the moll proper means of felf-
defence. And the arm of the Lord ap-
peared evidently flretched forth for our
prefervation : And in nothing did his care
more fully manifeft itfelf, than in railing
up and preferving thofe illullrious men,
of whom it may be faid, as is here faid of
David, that he made unto them a great
name. The malice of difaffe&ion, the
deep-laid fchemes of treachery, and even
all the open attacks of courage, aimed at
our fubjugation, were wholly difappointed.
Many powerful friends were raifed up for
us, and our independence, (to obtain which
fo much blood and treafure had been ex-
pended) was at lad acknowledged. The
foundations of a free government being
thus laid, and the mod favourable oppor-
tunity afforded, which appears ever to have
been given to any of the fons of men, of
edablilhing the freed and bed form of
civil government, which could be learned
from the wifdom and experience of ages, —

conditutions

( >9 )

conditutions for the feveral dates, and a
general one for the union and intereft of
the whole combined, were formed, and re-
gularly and folemnly adopted.

This is only an outline of the picture,
hadily fketched : To give it all the variety
of {hades and colouring, necefiary to com-
plete it, would be rather the bufinefs of the
hi dorian than the divine.

Thefe things are mentioned, to fhew,
that when we compare our condition with
that of other nations, we may with great
propriety borrow and apply the words of
the text, and fay , — What one nation in the
earth is like the American people. Hiftory
does not inform us of any people who had
the fame favourable opportunities, that we
have had, of choofmg that form of govern-
ment which we might think befl, and mod:
conducive to our happinefs. What was
good in others, we were at liberty to adopt ;
what was bad, to reject. This opportu-
nity we hope has not been neglected.
And we live, and have lived and profpered
for forae time, under a government which,
■with all the imperfections that can in any

( 20 )

juftice be laid to its charge, is one of the
moft free and excellent under the fun.
Nothing is wanting to make it all that we
could wifh it to be, and to give us the
pleating hope of its liability and perma-
nency, but more wifdom , virtue , and reli-
gion, among the citizens at large. This is a
government, which all the real friends of
freedom in the old world appear to ad-
mire ; and under the wings of which the
opprefled of every nation would wifh to
take refuge. Here is liberty and equality ,
according to the juft acceptation of thofe fa-
vourite terms ; liberty , civil and religious,
to the utmoft extent that they can be, where
there is any government at all ; and an
equality of rights, or provition made for the
equal prote&ion of the lives and properties
of all. That all men fhould be equal, as
to abilities, ftation, authority, and wealth,
is abfolutely, in the prefent ftate of things,
impoffible. But where every citizen has
a voice in making the laws, or in choofing
thofe who make them, and is equally un-
der their protection , — there is equality.
As to religious liberty efpecially, we

may

t ** /

may indeed fay, What nation in the earth
is like the American people ? For every man
may entertain what opinions he thinks
right, and worfhip God in what manner he
thinks beft, without being excluded from
any office, to which he has a profped of
riling, on account of his creed or religious
fentiments. This is furely liberty, in the
utmofl latitude that any man could defire.

If rulers abufe their trull, or aim at op-
preflion, they are removeable in a regular
and conflitutional way ; and better men
Can be put in their places, when the power
reverts into the hands of the people, at the
Hated periods. This way of redrefifmg
grievances is infinitely preferable to that
of tumults and infurreclions. Unhappy
the people who can have no change in
their government but what they mull ob-
tain by the fword !

The advantages arifing from our fitua-
tion, and the productions of the foil, in
the various climates comprehended within
our boundary line, might, if this were the
proper time and place, be fully defcribed.
And it would appear, that no other nation

on

on earth may be compared with this, in
thefe refpecls. What unfpeakable advan-
tages have we for a gainful commerce with
the whole world ! At what a happy dis-
tance are we placed, from the fierce and
ambitious nations of Europe !

We hear of a great people contending
for liberty. We hear of a nation in arms,
combatting a formidable hoft of enemies,
to fecure their freedom and independence.
But oh! what fcenes of horror, — what fields
of defolation and blood, — prefent them-
felves to our imagination, when we endea-
vour to form an idea of the real prefent
flate of Europe ! And how happy are we,
to be in a flate of neutrality and peace !
How much fliould we admire that wifdom
and firmnefs that have preferved us ip
fuch a flate ; amidft fo many wicked en-
deavours to involve us in the calamities
of war !

And has not Science darted her benign
rays, into the remoteft parts of thefe United
States ? Seminaries of learning are riling
fnto reputation on every hand ; and under
the foflering care of government will be

( 23 )

ittdang the chief means of preferring our
liberties. The fons of fcience, particu-
larly thofe educated in this place*, will,
we hope, never be feen at the ftandard of
anarchy, or on the fide of defpotifm.

And as to Religion , the choice!! blef-
fing of heaven to men, and without which
no nation can be truly happy ; — is fhe not
left at liberty, to difplay to every advan-
tage her celeftial charms, and to exert her
renovating powers on the minds of men,
free both from the aids and the reflraints
of the civil arm ? What would the people
of thefe States have or with for more?
Are not thefe the very objedls for which
our patriots bled ? And to obtain which
the great eft facrifices have been made by-
all ranks of citizens ?

While thus we view the fair fide of
things, and realize our many privileges,
we cannot but rejoice and be thankful.

Hymns

* Dickuifon College, in Carliile, has Tent forth
at lead eighty graduates, fince its eredion ; and pro.
mifes to be an extenfive blefling to the Weftcrn
Country, if fupported by a generous public*

( 24 )

Hymns of praife fliould every where be
fung to the Eternal King , who fought for
us our battles, and gave us liberty and
peace-

But when I look around me, and fee
multitudes of men in the garb of foldiers,
and handling the inftruments of war, — I
cannot but feel the moll painful emotions,
and alk , — IVhat thefe things mean ? Has
fome foreign defpot invaded our territo-
ries with formidable armies ? Are the fa-
vages of the wildernefs committing de-
vaftations far and wide upon a defencelefs
frontier, having routed the army fent to
fubdue them? Or is there any other
fimilar caufe of thefe warlike preparati-
ons? “No! (I am anfwered) Thefe
preparations are for a very different pur-
pofe. They are to teach thofe who will
not otherwife be taught, — that we ought
all to be obedient to lawful authority;
that we ought to refpe<ft the government
which ourfelves have made, and whofe
protection we have enjoyed ; that in a
pure republic the will of the majority
muft be fubmitted to, and no lawlefs

attempts

( 25 )

attempts made to weaken the energy of
good government.” And is it poffible,
that all our citizens have not good fenfe
enough to know thefe plain and impor-
tant truths, without fuch a formidable
force to teach them ? It feems not. To
our grief and fhame it mult be told.
But upon this difgraceful part of our
hiftory I lhall not dwell at prefent : it is
a painful talk ! and we have heard from
the proper authority the real ftate of our
affairs. But oh! what heart, that is not
hardened into an entire infenfibility, does
not bleed at the thought of an unpro-
voked infurreElion , by fome of our de-
luded fellow-citizens, againft the mildeft
and freeft government under heaven !
What friend of peace and real liberty
does not drop a tear over the folly of his
brethren ! Shall we pity them, and enu-
merate their grievances, as an apology
for their conduct? If they have any
grievances, what are they ? and are they 1
fuch as can juftify an appeal to arms ?
No man in his fober fenfes can fay any

fuch

D

C 26 )

.fuch thing. Can it be a grievance to
fupport good government ? Surely it
cannot. Unlefs government itfelf be a
grievance ; which is perhaps indeed the
opinion of not a few.

But let us, my friends, better taught,
rejoice in the privileges which we polfefs,
and do every thing that is required of us,
in our feveral places, for their fecurity ;
knowing that a regular adminiftration of
juftice is infinitely preferable to anarchy ;
and that it is a folemn and important
duty, to fubmit to laws, which have
had every fanction that they ought to
have, — 'for, the public good and indivi-
dual fafety.

It is for the fupport of the laws of
their country, I am well perfuaded, and
for no other objecl, that fo many of our
brethren have voluntarily armed them-
felves on the prefent occaiion.

To you, my friends, who are prefent
with us at this time, in the chara&er of
Citizen-Soldiers , allow me the liberty of
a (hort addrefs ; find with this I lhall
conclude.

You

c % )

You are in the prefence of Him who
knoweth all hearts ; and I truft you are
confcious to yourfelves, that you have af-
firmed your prefent character, not from the
defire of war, but the lave of peace. We
cannot but admire your patriotiim and zeal.
You have left your families, your friends,
and all the comforts of the domeftic

fcene, to endure the hardfhips of a

camp, — to expofe your health to the in-
clemencies of the air and your lives,
if required, to the malice of difaffedion !
It is thus you will learn, as many as have
not learned already, fomething of the
aftonifhing hardfhips which the brave de-
fenders of our country endured, for /even
long years : and you will highly prize,
and contend for, that liberty which was
D 2 purchafed

* At this time were encamped, on the Commons of
Carlifle, many gentlemen from the city of Philadel-
phia, and elfewhere, who had left behind them large
families, and all the comforts of life, which an inde-
pendent fortune could give ; and many of them fuch as
worthily filled the higheft departments in fociety. To
fee fuch men lying upon a bed of draw, and doing
the duties of foldiers, was truly aftonifhing, What
seal for liberty and good government did this tellify !

( 58 )

pmxhafed at fo dear a price. You have
the example of our beloved President,
and other exalted characters, to animate
you to your duty. In obeying his di-
rections, and copying his many fhining
virtues, you will find the path to lafling
honour. Your determined firmnefs and
unanimity will caufe difcord to hide her
guilty head. Order and obedience will
be reftored, and the effulion of blood pre-
vented. You are called to aft under the
direction and authority of Him*, who
never expofed to danger a fingle life
without neceffity ; and who graced his
victories with that clemency which is the
greateft ornament of true courage, and
one of the fureft telts' of magnanimity.
And is not the caufe, in which you are en-
gaged, fuch, that you may fafely pray to
the omnipotent and juft Ruler of the

world,

* The Prefident of the United States, Governor
Mifflin, and many other gentlemen of high rank, be-
ing prefent, the Preacher was reftrained from faying
as much as he could have wilhed on this fubjeft, left
the expreiiion of his real fentiments might have ap-
peared to fome the language of adulation.

( 29 )

world, for his aid and protection * We
are perfuaded it is : and would both, fol-
low you with our prayers, and befeech you
to pray for yourfelves, and truft in him
who is able to preferve you. Let no part
of your conduCt refleft difgrace upon,
your arms, or injure the good caufe in
which you are engaged. Be fober and
temperate, — merciful and juft, — friendly
to each other, — and firmly combined in
the caufe of virtue, innocence, liberty,
and law.

And now may God difpofe the hearts
of our fellow-citizens, every where, to
the love of order, juftice, and peace!
May he eftablifh good government among
us! May he long preferve a life which
appears fo neceffary for our public tran-
quillity ; and preferve to this country her
rights and privileges— while sun and moon

ENDURE !

THE end.